


A Love Returned in Full

by Silverdancer



Category: VIXX
Genre: AU, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-06
Updated: 2016-12-06
Packaged: 2018-09-03 18:34:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8725753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverdancer/pseuds/Silverdancer
Summary: When Hakyeon dies, Taekwoon does whatever it takes to get him back.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Quackyeon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quackyeon/gifts).



> To my dear Recipient: I hope you like this. I did it with all my love. I really really liked your prompts, specially this one. I had been wanting to do a Fantasy MV AU for the longest time, and even though this evolved into something slightly different, I don't love it any less. Happy holidays ♥
> 
> To anyone that was with me while writing this fic: Thank you for listening to my whining, or sprinting with me, or helping me iguring out what I wanted to do. The fic wouldn't be possible without any of you.

The house is big and old, and he doesn’t think he's seen it before. It looks like it’s been there for some time, though, and Taekwoon wonders. He knows the area, and it’s not the kind of house you could miss: old and almost in ruins in the middle of concrete buildings.

He takes a step closer; touching the wall with his hand, and even through the rain, he can feel the magic through the wood panels.

Even then, he's not surprised when he finds himself there. The doors open before him, and two little girls bow, welcoming him. They do not move aside to let him in, and neither does Taekwoon move forward, so they stare each other in tense silence under the rain, waiting for the other to make a move.

"He's not saying anything," says one of them, not taking her eyes off him, and the other whispers in answer, "He's barely moving... are you sure he's human?"

Before the other one can answer, a voice carries from the back of the house, soft and calm.

"Let him in, girls, he's the one we've been waiting for."

Their eyes light up at that, and they come to his sides, grabbing his hands and pulling him in. They are cute, he thinks, even as he feels his legs move without his permission. He knows better than to resist.

They bring him to a garden, its large gates opening before them- where a woman is taking care of the flowers growing near the back, like the rain doesn’t affect her. She stands up and turns around, and Taekwoon sees that she looks way younger than he expected.

"I've been waiting you for quite some time," she says, and indeed she doesn’t look surprised to find him there.

"I wasn't sure I was going to come," he answers, not really sure how much he should say.

"Oh, dear, you should’ve known better," she says, laughing softly, a little condescending, but without malice, "but you’re here now, that’s what it matters.”

She signals to a bank under a tree, where the rain does not fall, and his legs bring him there. She nods at the girls once she sits beside him and they enter, giving them some privacy. 

"So, you want to ask me something," she says after a long moment of silence.

"Yes," he confirms. She nods, as if she’s only checking something she already knows.

"You must know that I cannot give you what you're truly after," she says after a while, and gauges his reaction.

Taekwoon nods. He knows. "But you can help me get it," he answers. 

"That I can," she confirms, and Taekwoon doesn't realize he's been holding his breath until now, "but it won't be cheap."

"I know that too."

◇◆◇

She gives him two days to get things ready, he spends them tying loose ends. He knows that someone will find out what he's done sooner or later, and while he hopes he can be back before the time they do, he doesn't want to risk it.

◇◆◇

Taekwoon's back on the sunrise of the second day. She greets him at the door this time, and walks with him all the way back to the garden without saying a word. He's grateful for that, being too nervous to make small talk.

The sight is not much different from the last time, all except a floral arch at the center. It doesn't look out of place in the midst of all the flowers, and if he hadn't been there just a couple of days ago, he would have thought it was part of the decoration.

Nayoung speaks up when they stop in front of it.

"Remember,” she says, voice soft, and raising one finger to accompany her words, “to come back, you must come to the exact place you arrived." Nayoung pauses, waiting for him to nod in understanding before she raises a second finger, and continues, "and everything that's touching you the moment you do will travel with you," she says, not unkindly, and smiles softly when she does. This is his condition, after all. "And most importantly," she warns him, "once you step through it, the deal will be sealed and you'll be on your own."

He nods firmly, keeping eye contact. Nayoung nods in answer before taking a couple of steps back.

Taekwoon closes his eyes and steps forward.

◇◆◇

Like all tragedies, it starts when no one expects it.

"I've been dreaming, lately," Hakyeon says, looking at the sky. Taekwoon hums, inquiring, and Hakyeon continues, "You’re there," he says with a smile, like of course he would be dreaming about him, "and you're always beside a big gate, always there, unmoving. I walk in front of you countless times, and you look at me, but you never move from there."

That alerts Taekwoon, but he says nothing, and Hakyeon continues talking. 

"They say you're a guardian. That you shouldn't move from there. But you smile at me and talk to me and since you don't move from there, I go to you," he sounds sad now, and Taekwoon doesn't dare to look at him, "I just keep going."

Hakyeon is silent for a while, and Taekwoon has to say something.

"Seems like a nice dream," he says, without much conviction, and somehow that, his voice, seems to bring Hakyeon back.

Taekwoon hopes he's not looking as worried as he feels when he smiles back. He knows those dreams and they are not a good sign.

◇◆◇

He doesn't need to open his eyes to know the moment he arrives. The air feels colder and the sound of his steps change, signaling the change of path.

The moon is the first thing he sees when he opens his eyes. Some part of him tells him that it's not possible for it to be the moon, that it shouldn’t be the moon, but he shuts it down. It's shiny and big, up high on the sky. But then his eyes get used to the light, and he starts to see where he is. The moonlight shines over the forest, making it visible to his eyes; big, high trees around him, and a path situated at the end of the clearing.

He's never thought about what the Underworld would be like, but he would be lying if he said a dark forest is what he'd have imagined.

He takes a couple of steps, tentative, but he doesn't feel any different.

He keeps going.

◇◆◇

There's a path to follow, between the trees. Taekwoon follows it, not really sure where he's going.

He keeps walking until he sees a light, far away. When he nears the light source, he also starts hearing a sound. They seem like voices, and he walks faster. He follows the light and ends up in a lake, with luciérnagas around, but no-one in sight. It's weird, because he keeps hearing the voices, like an echo. And it seems vaguely like... _Hakyeon?_

He gets closer to the edge of the lake and then he sees the images.

It's Hakyeon.

It's Hakyeon, and him, some months ago.

Hakyeon; smiling like the first rays of the sun, purely happy. Taekwoon gets a whiplash from missing him so much. He gets closer to the edge and watches, not even questioning how he’s seeing this.

They are at home with a movie on, Taekwoon half asleep, Hakyeon eating popcorn with his head on Taekwoon's shoulder. Hakyeon decides he wants to wake Taekwoon up, the movie not interesting anymore, and puts the bowl away, making the blanket fall to his legs. He first grabs Taekwoon's hand and starts drawing the lines with his fingers.

"Did you know I know how to read hands?"

"Do you, really?" Taekwoon says, somewhat interested, but still sleepy.

"Of course," Hakyeon nods, "I'm very very good at it."

Taekwoon laughs quietly, not really believing him, but playing along. He turns around slightly so he's looking at Hakyeon closely.

"What do you see, then?"

Hakyeon seems to think about it for a moment, drawing some of the lines in his hand, deciding on one of the longest he can see.

"I see a very long life. Very very long, and very healthy. There are some little small hitches," he says while getting the hand closer to him, his eyes squinted, "but you should be good if you take good care of yourself or," he pauses, palm very close to his face, and Taekwoon feels more awake already from watching him alone.

"Or what?" Taekwoon asks softly, making Hakyeon look at him, not being able to stop a smile from spreading.

"Or if you let your handsome boyfriend take care of you, of course," Hakyeon whispers, like it's a secret, and Taekwoon remembers thinking that if he hadn't been head over heels before, he's sure he'd fall for the way Hakyeon is looking right then, like the embodiment of happiness itself, with that smile that reaches his eyes and that makes Taekwoon want to cover himself and kiss it off of him at the same time.

"Isn't this a sweet image?" someone coos behind him, causing Taekwoon to turn around, almost falling to the floor, startled.

The moment he turns around, the image on the water disappears, but he’s too focused on the stranger to notice. 

"Oh, sorry! Didn't mean to interrupt" he says without remorse; not a hint of sorrow in his voice, when he notices the image in the lake gone. He also doesn't seem like he's going to move from there anytime soon. "My name is Jaehwan," he says, extending his hand in front of him

Taekwoon takes his hand, shakes it slightly, wary, and says nothing. Jaehwan notices the silence and his smile widens. "The polite thing to do when someone introduces themselves is to introduce yourself back," he says, and there's a dangerous glint in his eyes that compels Taekwoon to actually do what he says.

"I’m… Taekwoon," he whispers.

"Good!" he exclaims, "No offense here, but you don't look very dead to me."

"That's because I am not dead," Taekwoon confesses. That seems to spark Jaehwan’s interest. 

"But you have lost something," he says after a couple of moments of consideration, and Taekwoon nods.

"I believe I can help you," he says, tilting his head, looking interested at Taekwoon. 

"Why should I believe you?" Taekwoon asks.

"Well, you don't have to, but I have seen that boy around, and I could help you find him."

◇◆◇

"Taekwoon," Hakyeon says as he grabs his hand, pulls him into a stop, "Taekwoon, I'm not feeling well."

Taekwoon looks at him, frowning, worried. Hakyeon's face is scrunched and the hand that is not holding onto Taekwoon is touching his head in pain. In a second Taekwoon is beside beside him, moving them away from the middle of the street.

"What's wrong?" he asks, and Hakyeon doesn't answer. He stumbles and ends up with his face against his shoulder, which worries Taekwoon even more. "You need to tell me what's wrong. Should I call for help?"

At that, Hakyeon shakes his head slightly from side to side, as the hand that's not grabbing onto Taekwoon moves from his head to Taekwoon's jacket, squeezing it. _No help then_ , Taekwoon thinks, _for now_.

"Taekwoon, you're a guardian," Hakyeon whispers against Taekwoon's shoulder.

It takes Taekwoon a while to notice that Hakyeon is mumbling, repeating his name over and over again, eyes shut. It scares Taekwoon, he doesn't know what to do. He's scared for what the pain means, he's scared of what's happening and the fact that he can't avoid it, but most of all he's afraid of the consequences of what's happening if he's right.

He's caressing Hakyeon's head, hoping for the best, when suddenly Hakyeon's head shoots up.

"Taekwoon... you..." he starts to say, eyes welling up, and Taekwoon is too surprised to react. Hakyeon lets go of Taekwoon completely, taking a couple of steps back, and his expression changes as his foot fails to find some ground to step on.

Taekwoon doesn't get to him in time, and Hakyeon falls, and Taekwoon's nightmare repeats itself again.

◇◆◇

"You need to open it yourself," Jaehwan says when they arrive, and Taekwoon doesn't understand what he means until he looks up.

Taekwoon has to admit, nothing about this place is how he had imagined it. It's true that he hasn't thought about much about the Underworld, and the things he had imagined were mostly the things he had heard when he was little, all those years ago.

He would have expected a three-headed dog, rather than the big, metallic gate he is standing in front of, like he's on the entrance of some horror house.

"What do you mean?"

"Since you're not dead," Jaehwan explains, "the door is closed for you. You're not supposed to be here, and you really shouldn't enter if you had arrived here by accident." His hands touch the drawings on it, distractedly, as if he has done it a thousand times before, "It's more of a... prevention method, since once you get in, you rarely get out."

Taekwoon still doubts, not daring to get closer, but Jaehwan reminds him.

"That boy is inside, that I can assure you," he says, his tone casual, but when Taekwoon looks at him, his eyes are deadly serious.

His hands tremble when they touch the door, but he pushes anyway. The gates open with a screeching noise, and Taekwoon fights to not find that ominous at all.

◇◆◇

Once the gates open, Jaehwan takes the lead and guides Taekwoon through the garden, roses of every colour making the scenery strangely colorful. They walk and walk some more, and the scenery doesn't change, roses left and right, distributed across the land, creating paths that people should follow.

Like a labyrinth, he realizes.

He wonders briefly how the roses can grow, in a place with no sun and with an intense fog surrounding them. He wants to ask about it, out of curiosity, but then the fog clears a little and in the distance he's able to see what it seems to be his destination: A gazebo, in the middle of the garden, and someone standing inside of it, waiting.

 _Hakyeon_ , he thinks, so he runs. Runs past Jaehwan, eyes fixed on the person standing there, barely managing to not trip and fall to the ground. He runs until he can see the stranger's face clearly, until he can't fool himself anymore. He's close enough to see them looking at him curiously, surprised, but Jaehwan catches up with him before he can say anything, the stranger's attention focusing on Jaehwan.

"Who is he?" he says as he gets close to them.

"I found him by the lake, saw something interesting in there," Jaehwan answers, and he must find it funny because the guy in front of him smiles slightly at that.

"That doesn't answer my question," he insists, gently, evidently fond. Jaehwan chuckles behind him.

"Okay, we'll do it your way," Jaehwan says, and puts himself between Taekwoon and the other guy before he continues. "This is Taekwoon. As I said, I found him by the lake earlier," Taekwoon bows politely, and nods when Jaehwan finishes. "And this," he goes on, looking at Taekwoon now, "is Wonshik, the one in charge of... basically everything you can lay your eyes on around here."

Taekwoon looks at him then, surprised, taking him in. He certainly didn’t look the part. Wonshik bows, too, and looks at Taekwoon carefully and Taekwoon is surprised that he seems so... normal.

"But Jaehwan…” he starts, not sure how to sort his thoughts, “He's not dead," Wonshik states, and Jaehwan shrugs in answer to that, clearly amused. Wonshik looks at Taekwoon, searching for confirmation, and Taekwoon nods. "How did you get here, then?" he asks Taekwoon this time, and Taekwoon is surprised, figuring he'd be more angry than curious.

"Nayoung," he says, hoping that her name is explanation enough. By the way Wonshik's eyes widen, it seems like it is.

"And _what_ are you doing here?" he asks, Taekwoon straightens up, and looks at him in the eye before answering.

"I am looking for someone," he says, his tone firm, "I want to bring him back with me."

◇◆◇

Hakyeon's hand is cold between Taekwoon's ones, and Taekwoon can't believe he's here again.

The first time Hakyeon died, Taekwoon thought his world had ended. He had grieved, for years, and even moved on, in a way. The world was different back then, and Taekwoon, though immortal, had been less experienced too.

As he caresses Hakyeon's palm, he can't help but remember all of their times together. The first time he saw him, the very first time, when he wasn't more than the son of some farmer nearby that had lost his way around the city.

All those times when Hakyeon came around with any reason, only to try to talk to him, even if it was just for a second.

Every smile directed only at him, shy and unsure, that warmed Taekwoon's heart like didn't think it was possible.

All the times Taekwoon changed his own patrolling route around the city only to be able to be with Hakyeon a couple of moments more. Sneaking moments together.

He smiles sadly as he kisses Hakyeon's palm, remembering also the way he lost him the first time, in very much the same way. A step in the wrong place, and Hakyeon was gone. The only difference was that Taekwoon hadn't been near him then. He'd learnt about it later, after he asked around for him when Hakyeon didn't come for a few days.

He had always resented himself for not having been able to protect him, to prevent his death. _If only I had been there_ , he had repeated himself, over and over again.

It turned out that it didn't matter.

Years passed, the world changed, and Taekwoon, like the rest of the guardians, were allowed to have a life. Encouraged, even, to blend with society, even if they were never formally allowed to abandon their duties.

And then Hakyeon came back into his life. Taekwoon knew the moment he saw him, the moment he looked into his eyes that it was him, that even after all those years, and even with the little differences, this was the person he had met all those years ago; he had loved all those years ago.

And he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he would do whatever it takes to keep him by his side this time.

Taekwoon didn't think he'd have to try so soon, and that he'd fail so spectacularly.

He's so focused on his thoughts he doesn't hear the steps approaching him from behind. "I guess that telling you to let go will be useless, right?"

He visibly jumps, startled, and Hongbin can't help but laugh a little at his reaction as he sits beside him. He nudges Taekwoon's arm with his shoulder once they are side by side, and mutters his condolences. No matter how much did Hongbin knew about Hakyeon and him, they had never been in the same room, hadn't met each other, and it feels weird that this is the first time Hongbin gets to see him.

They stay in silence for a long time, Hongbin being a comforting presence beside him while Taekwoon says goodbye to Hakyeon, and it's only when they are exiting the room that Hongbin talks again.

"Have you ever heard about Nayoung?"

◇◆◇

Taekwoon has lived longer than the history books can count, and yet the minutes waiting for Jaehwan to come back with Hakyeon feel longer than all of the years he's been on Earth combined. He notices Wonshik looking at him, following him with his eyes as he paces around, not being able to stand still, but says nothing.

"Let's talk with him first," he says, and sends Jaehwan to look for him. Taekwoon couldn't believe it would be that easy, but maybe it's because there's some trick to all of this. What if Hakyeon doesn't remember? What if he _does_? He doesn't know what option scares him more.

He looks at Wonshik, looking for a distraction, and finds him looking back at him. He seems to be having questions of his own, but unlike Taekwoon, he seems to be curious enough to ask.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to," Wonshik asks after a while, and it surprises Taekwoon how low his voice is even when he's speaking softly, "but what did you give up to come here?"

Taekwoon stays in silence for a while, thinking if he _should_ answer, when a familiar voice asks a question of its own, startling them both.

"Give up?" he says, and there, in the middle of the path, stands Hakyeon, and he's exactly the same as Taekwoon remembers him, except for the way his brows furrowed in confusion. He seems willing to push the topic, except then he looks at Taekwoon and his expression changes. "Taekwoon? What are you doing here?" he asks, and his voice sounds slightly strained, not entirely convinced.

"Hakyeon," Taekwoon says, no more than a whispered word, and then he's running to him, shortening the distance between them until there isn't more than a step between them. He wants to touch him, hug him, but he doesn't know if he'll be able to. Luckily, he doesn't have to wait long, because Hakyeon, slowly, carefully, lifts a hand until he can caress his face, eyes welling up when he touches Taekwoon.

"Is this real?" Hakyeon asks after a while, and his voice sounds so small. "Are you dead?" he asks, and _oh_ , Taekwoon understands now. He reaches out and grabs his hand carefully, threading their fingers together when he does.

"I'm not dead, no," he says, and Hakyeon relaxes at that, so visibly relieved, that Taekwoon can't help but smile. Hakyeon's hand slides to his shoulder as he gets closer, close enough that their noses touch.

"I can't believe you're really here," he whispers, not quite believing what he's seeing, and Taekwoon can feel the hand squeezing his shoulder, trying to make sure he's real. " _How_ are you here?" Hakyeon asks after a beat, considering.

"Long story," Taekwoon answers, "will tell you later."

It doesn't convince Hakyeon, Taekwoon can tell, but he nods anyway before he throws his arms around Taekwoon and hugs him like he must have been dying to from the moment he saw him. "You're really here," he says, and his hands are on the back of his neck and Taekwoon can't help but hold him close, so overwhelmed by everything he's feeling that he almost, almost forgets why they are there.

At least until Hakyeon leans away, never getting too far, and asks, " _Why_ are you here, then?"

And Taekwoon knows it's ridiculous, that after all the things he's done, this should be the easy part, but he still feels his ears warming up, and his eyes shifting away from Hakyeon as he answers, "Because I had to get you back."

◇◆◇

Taekwoon has never seen a body do the things Hakyeon's is doing right now, and that is saying something.

"Come on, it's my turn now," says Hakyeon, his voice strangled from his position on the floor, limbs impossibly tangled, and Taekwoon, who was already about to spin the wheel, stops all motion to look at him.

One, two, three seconds pass before Hakyeon groans, giving up, and Taekwoon smiles.

"Do you want me to lose?" Hakyeon says, and Sanghyuk snickers, even though he isn't faring that much better.

"Never," Taekwoon says, smiling, as he makes the arrow turn.

"Left hand. Yellow," he says as the arrow stops, and Hakyeon is groaning before he has finished. Sanghyuk laughs while he can, knowing he won't get hit for now, even if he's barely holding his own position together. Taekwoon shares the feeling though, and hides a smile behind the wheel.

With great difficulty, Hakyeon shifts his body around and manages to get his hand on the other side of the board, reaching the yellow dot with the tips of his fingers.

"Done. Next," he says, not even bothering with complete sentences, his whole body concentrated on keeping the balance. Taekwoon knows that Sanghyuk can't see Hakyeon's face from his position, but that doesn't stop him from teasing him.

"No way, hyung!" he says, mock offended, "You must hold on like that for three seconds! Isn’t that right, Taekwoon hyung!"

Taekwoon stays in silence, carefully getting ready to spin the wheel again and avoiding both of their looks.

"You're no fun," says Sanghyuk when he doesn’t say anything after a while and puts the arrow into motion. Before it stops Taekwoon moves his feet slightly, tickling Sanghyuk's leg, making Sanghyuk collapse on the floor, limbs all over the place. It causes Hakyeon to fall on top of him half a second later, but it's enough for Hakyeon to declare himself a winner, arms above his head and a wide smile.

"You're a pair of cheaters, I don't even know why I bother inviting you to play anymore," Sanghyuk grumbles later as they get everything in order.

"You like Taekwoon's food," Hakyeon says as he pushes the couch to its original place before plopping on it, "and obviously I'm your favorite flatmate."

"You're my _only_ flatmate," Sanghyuk says, half heartedly coughing, pretending to hide his words under it.

"You're mean when you lose, Hyukkie," Hakyeon says pouting and Taekwoon has to stop himself from pinching his cheeks.

"And you only won because your boyfriend cheated for you," he retorts, with no heat in his voice and goes to put the game away as Taekwoon goes to sit besides Hakyeon.

"My hero," Hakyeon says dramatically once Taekwoon's sitting beside him, and puts his legs on top of Taekwoon's ones, trapping him on the couch, none of them denying the claim.

Taekwoon ignores the sadness that starts to creep on him and looks at Hakyeon instead, making himself remember that won't lose him this time.

"Are you okay?" Hakyeon says worriedly, inching closer. Taekwoon nods, smiling softly and he's surprised when Hakyeon closes the distance between them, grabs his neck and kisses his forehead. "No, you're not," he says, knowing exactly how Taekwoon’s worry shows on his face, "but it's okay, you will be."

They stay close like that, Taekwoon being unable to think of anything to answer, staring in wonder at Hakyeon until Sanghyuk gets back and the moment is broken.

◇◆◇

Wonshik has to repeat the words again before any of them can believe them.

"What?" Hakyeon whispers from beside Taekwoon, "Is it really that easy?"

"If you have a way to get out of here, sure, you can go," Wonshik says as he crosses his arms, apparently very satisfied by their surprised faces. "The only rule around here is that only the ones that have died can take the boat to cross the river, and that it's a one way trip," he explains, "but if you have a way out of here, and I suspect you do, you're free to go."

Jaehwan looks pretty amused by their reactions, and winks at Taekwoon when he catches him looking.

Taekwoon still can't believe it.

In the couple of moments that it takes Taekwoon and Hakyeon to answer, Wonshik starts again.

"Unless..." he mumbles slowly, and his brows furrow, "you wanted me to say no."

"No!" Taekwoon yelps, and both Wonshik and Jaehwan laugh at that. Taekwoon can feel himself blush, the tips of his ears growing warm every second, and Hakyeon sneaking his hand close to him, threading their fingers together, doesn't help to the blushing. It does encourage him to talk again. "That's... more than perfect. Thank you."

Wonshik sees Hakyeon's gesture and nods, acknowledging both the gesture and his words with a smile, but doesn't say anything else. Instead, it's Jaehwan the one that takes a couple of steps closer and talks.

"If we're done here, I'll get you to the door," he says, and leans down to mock whisper in Taekwoon's ear. "Not that we don't like you having here, both of you, but I guess the sooner you go home, the better." Taekwoon couldn't agree more.

He turns around, searching for Hakyeon's face, and for the first time since he got here it occurs to him that maybe, maybe Hakyeon doesn't want to go back with him.

The thought terrifies him, all of sudden.

"Do you..." he starts, unsure, not even able to look at Hakyeon's eyes for this, "Are you okay with going back?"

"I have some questions, and the more I think about it, the more questions I have," Hakyeon says calmly, "but yes, yes, of course I want to go back."

Taekwoon releases the breath he didn't realize he was holding as he nods in answer. Hakyeon had always been the bolder one between the two of them, but Taekwoon can't stop himself from hugging him now, relieved and elated, not even being able to stop the wide grin forming on his face at the thought of this becoming a reality.

Hakyeon hugs him back, the hand not holding his now squeezing his neck, and just for that Taekwoon knows it has been worth it.

They are about to go when Wonshik stops them to give them one final warning.

"Once you're in the forest, do not let go. If you do, you'll get lost, and separated, and it will guide you back here, and it would keep him away from here," he says, his eyes focused on Hakyeon, "The forest is alive, and it guides the dead here, while keeping the ones alive out." He looks at Taekwoon before continuing,"If it weren't for Jaehwan, you would still be walking around the forest."

They both nod in understanding, and while they follow Jaehwan through the same path they came from, he gives them some instructions himself.

"If you're together you'll confuse the forest. It won't know whether you're dead or alive so it will keep you walking until it can figure it out. That’s why it's important that you keep holding on together. No matter how much you have to walk, you'll eventually get to the place where you started. But if you let go, neither I or Wonshik will be able to help you."

When they arrive Taekwoon wonders briefly why was it so easy, if maybe this is only a trick and they won't really get out of there alive. Hakyeon seems to be having the same doubts as him.

"Jaehwan, why would Wonshik let us, let _me_ go that easily?"

The question doesn't seem to surprise Jaehwan, who smiles upon hearing it.

"It doesn't matter what his title says, or what his work is," he says, and Taekwoon thinks his voice softens a little, "Wonshik is actually a softie. Your boy here must have paid a high price for the chance to come here, and probably after seeing your reaction back there he couldn't help himself to say yes. True love, and all that."

Hakyeon nods, but Taekwoon knows that he has probably at least three different questions that he's trying very hard to contain and can’t stop the smile creeping on his face.

True love, and all that. Sounds about right.

◇◆◇

Taekwoon is sure he has seen a rock like the one they had just passed before. It had a weird shape, and it caught Taekwoon's attention the first time they walked around it. The second time they passed near it Taekwoon thought it might have been a coincidence, or just a rock very very similar, so he didn't say anything in case it was really nothing.

The third time Taekwoon is very sure they were kind of lost.

He still doesn't say anything, hoping that Hakyeon hasn’t noticed. Everything had been going so well that Taekwoon thinks he might have been able to get away with this too after they walk some more, but then Hakyeon talks.

"I think we're lost?" Hakyeon asks, and Taekwoon knows him enough to know that he knows the answer already.

"I... probably," Taekwoon says, defeated, stopping in the middle of the path to look at Hakyeon, who, to Taekwoon's surprise, is smiling amusedly at him.

"Don't you remember where you came from?" he asks, smile never leaving his face.

"Not really, Jaehwan was the one guiding me, and every path looked similar enough that I lost track of them after a while," Taekwoon says, and although he'll deny it forever, he’s pretty sure he ends up pouting. The laugh that Hakyeon lets out echoes around the forest is a good indication of it. 

He doesn't mind much, especially when Hakyeon kisses him briefly before starting to walk again leading the way.

They walk for awhile, in silence, hands always together. Taekwoon looks around, trying to find patterns, or anything he recognizes, and he's relieved they have yet to find the weird shaped rock again.

"So..." Hakyeon says after a while, "Not that I'm not thankful, don't misunderstand me, but can I ask you something?"

They don't stop walking, Hakyeon still a couple of steps in front Taekwoon, so he can't see Hakyeon's face when he asks.

"Of course," Taekwoon says, not doubting for a second. 

Hakyeon, takes a while to ask.

"Wonshik and Jaehwan said something..." Hakyeon says, and he does stop now, looking concerned at Taekwoon, "And I was wondering how did you get here?"

The question doesn't surprise Taekwoon at all, because Wonshik and Jaehwan _did_ say some compromising things, and he knows he’d have to answer it sooner or later.

It takes him some time to answer, and when he does the only thing he says is "I asked for some favors," knowing it's not going to be enough.

"They really must have been big favors," Hakyeon comments, and sounds a little disappointed with the answer, "Will I ever know the whole story?"

"Yeah," he assures him. He wants to tell him, he just doesn't know where to start. It's too complicated of a story to tell for the first time. "It's not that I don't want to tell you," he says, apologetically, "It's just a long story."

"Well, we're lost for now, and we’ll probably be walking in circles for a long time," he comments trying to look nonchalant but Taekwoon knows better, "so no better time than today."

Taekwoon doesn't know where to start, and he says as much.

"The beginning is usually a good place for that," Hakyeon says, pushing slightly.

And there, in the middle of the Underworld, he tells him the entire story. “Once upon a time…” he starts with, and Hakyeon laughs.

It’s going to be okay.

◇◆◇

They meet on a sunny day.

The farmer's market is full of people. It isn't Taekwoon's turn to patrol there, but Hongbin had asked him as a favor, because he isn't feeling that well, and Taekwoon couldn't refuse. He wishes he had, though, the mass of people in conjunction with the heat making a disservice to Taekwoon.

The first thing he sees when he opens his eyes is that he's not, in fact, at the market. There's a roof on top of him, and an unfamiliar one at that. He tries to get up, figure out what's happening and how he got there, but the moment he does, his whole body aches and he lets an involuntary groan as he closes his eyes again.

"What are you doing?" an alarmed voice says, "You just fainted outside, you shouldn't be moving at all."

Taekwoon wants to see who's talking to him, but then there's a cold piece of clothing on top of his forehead and eyes, and he does feel better, so maybe that can wait.

"Do you know what happened to you?" The person says, and Taekwoon shakes his head carefully. The person goes on, "I found you on the floor unconscious near the North gate."

"Thank you," he says after a while, and his voice sounds hoarse even to him.

"Let me get you some water," the person says, and in a second there's a vase where he can drink from pressed to his lips, ready for him to drink. It's cold and fresh, exactly what Taekwoon needs.

"Really, thank you," Taekwoon insists, and tries to sit up again. There are hands helping him this time, and he manages it even through the pain. The cloth falls from his face, with the new position, and when he opens his eyes, more a reflex than actual curiosity he finally sees the person beside him.

He sees the soft smile and the gentle eyes and Taekwoon knows he'll be a problem. And they haven’t even talked yet.

"You're welcome," he says, "but I was doing what every decent person would do."

Taekwoon doesn't think that anyone would have taken a random stranger to their home to take care of them, but he's not going to fight the one person who did, so he just nods and drinks some more.

Taekwoon doesn't know it but he falls a little in love that day.

◇◆◇

They walk for a long long time. Taekwoon is not even sure how long it has been anymore, but the moment he sees the arch, behind some trees, it’s like all the tiredness goes away.

"That’s it," he says, pointing at it with his free hand, "we arrived!"

After so long, Taekwoon almost can’t believe it. They stand before it and look at each other.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Taekwoon asks. There’s no going back after this.

"Very sure," Hakyeon says, and it’s impressive how his voice doesn’t waver, even if he looks as nervous as Taekwoon feels. "Wait a moment," Hakyeon says, and stops Taekwoon from taking the step, pulling his hand till he's in front of him, "I still can't believe you did that for me," he says, amazed, "won't you regret it?"

There are many things Taekwoon doesn't know but he's sure of this. There are many different things to consider once he crosses to the other side and they are both back. He doesn't know how he'll get used to his new life, or how will they explain Hakyeon to everyone in their life, in Hakyeon's life but he’s sure of this. He shakes his head decidedly.

"No, I won't. No matter what happens, I don't think I could ever regret it."

Not if he has Hakyeon with him.

◇◆◇

"Your eternal life," Nayoung says, completely serious, "In exchange for the opportunity to bring your love from back from death, that's what you must give up."

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! ♥ Thank you for reading!


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